Do you worry about what’s going on between Ukraine and Russia? Will there be an armed struggle between these two neighbors and will other former soviet republics be swept into the fray?
What can Canada do?
First off, these regions have never had a democratic tradition until Ukraine became independent @30+ years ago. Canada was one of the first nations to recognize an independent Ukraine. The Russian Republic is a dictatorship in many ways, where opposition party members and their leaders are often oppressed and murdered. Do you know of the musical group “Pussy Riot”? Their lyrics and political opinions against the Putin Regime got them arrested, beaten, and silenced. They got away with their lives intact, but many Democrats in both Russia and Ukraine just disappear to be found later beaten or dead. Yes, the Ukrainian Government is politically oppressive too, although Ukraine is more democratic than Russia, a nation under the thumb of Putin and dozens of Oligarch, most former KGB and SVU Officers that have stolen and owned Russia’s major industries.
Russia has always had an inferiority complex, with almost a genetic fear of “others”, those who would invade their homeland. Tectonic knights, the Chinese, Germans, and presently the western nations N.A.T.O. Organization. Russia has not changed politically over these past hundreds of years, while some of its population has due to exposure to the western democracies. A poll of Russians years ago showed that the majority of Russians believed that a “strongman” was needed to rule Russia and return it to its former glories. Sounds Trumponian but there you go. Russia and Putin want and need an Empire. Without an Empire, the Russians feel weak and open to foreign influence. China is acting this way also. Only with a large aggressive military will all other opposing nations take them seriously as “Super Powers”.
Can Canada stop this armed struggle? Certainly only through our participation within NATO, possibly through military action should an all-out invasion happen. Russia has been sending in its troops into Eastern Ukraine for many years, calling these Russians liberators and the true Ukrainian Resistance. Many tens of thousands of Ukrainians have been killed by these invaders. Russia wants the most Eastern part of Ukraine, that which is populated by a Russian majority.
I believe Putin has made a deal, a “Pact of Aggression” with the Chinese Communists. Just before the Olympic Games started in China, Premier Li and Putin met, where a deal was certainly made. Russia would not invade Ukraine until the Chinese Olympics were over, and while the West remained uncertain, ununited as they appear to be, possibly China has been offered Russian support should China be aggressive to Taiwan, with the possibility of invading that island. Yes Empire building in our time has never stopped. While America’s influence wanes these “Dictatorial Super Powers” are on the move. What have they got to lose after all? China makes most of the West’s stuff, is a neighbor to India, a paper tiger militarily. If China cuts off all the manufactured items it makes for the West, and holds back its financial investments the West would be in a “pickle”.
Lots to worry about. Lots to learn and investigate folks. Russia is acting like its greatest demon, “the Nazi’s” and no one is directly calling them out.
Steven Kaszab
Bradford, Ontario
[email protected]
